


A Nudge From St. Nicholas

by Caedmon



Series: Advent [24]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Bad Poetry, F/M, I'm serious you guys, Poetry, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, but Doctor Who style
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-11 16:42:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8998735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caedmon/pseuds/Caedmon
Summary: The Doctor and Rose meet Santa Claus, and he gives them a little nudge in the right direction.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Okay. So. I am many things, but a poet is not one of them. Even so, I decided to do this. It's silly, it's cheesy, and the meter is totally off...but hopefully it's fun. 
> 
> Based on "A Visit From St. Nicholas" (better known as The Night Before Christmas) by Clement Clarke Moore, who is probably spinning in his grave. 
> 
> Day 24 of ['Advent'.](http://archiveofourown.org/series/596995)

'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the TARDIS  
Not a creature was stirring, and they’d just flown from Cardiff.  
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,  
And Rose wished the Doctor’d shut up about pears;

“They’re a rubbish fruit, Rose,” her dear Time Lord said,  
While visions of throttling him danced in her head.  
The Doctor wore his jacket; Rose, her jimjams,  
She was really quite ready to drift to dreamland,

When out of the console room there arose such a clatter!  
The Doctor turned to Rose. “Let’s see what’s the matter!”  
Away from the library they flew like a flash,  
And skidded across the grating, narrowly avoiding a crash.

“What’s the matter, Old Girl?” the Doctor, he crooned.  
(It was always great fun to watch them commune),  
Rose felt the TARDIS hum in the back of her mind  
Then the rotor lit up; gave a faint little grind.

“This is unlike you. What’s wrong, girl?” he fretted.  
“Is there danger? Big trouble? Some kind of threat?”  
The rotor just groaned and the Doctor just panicked  
Dancing around the console, his movements quite frantic.

“I don’t believe it,” he muttered, eyes open wide.  
“Rose, come and look. Santa Claus is outside.”  
Rose merely laughed and shook her blonde head.  
“You must think I’m slow,” she giggled and said.

“No really, come look. It’s St. Nicholas, the elf!”  
She shook her head and he huffed at her. “Come see for yourself!”  
Rose just rolled her eyes, laughing, and went to the console  
She didn’t rush, though, just a leisurely stroll

“Hurry up, Rose! You’ve got to come quicker!”  
“I’m comin’,” she complained. “Hold onto your knickers.”  
When, what to her astonished eyes should appear,  
But a big red sleigh, and eight great big reindeer,

She gasped, her eyes wide, and swatted the Doctor  
The image on the screen really had shocked her.  
“I know who it is,” he grumped, rubbing his arm.  
“There was certainly no reason to cause me such harm.”

“But why is he here?” Rose asked with a gasp.  
“ _How_?” She caught his hand in her grasp.  
“I don’t know,” he answered, looking confused  
still rubbing the arm that Rose Tyler had bruised.

“Should we invite him in?” the Doctor did ask.  
“Can we do that? Is the TARDIS up to the task?”  
The Doctor just scoffed at her lack of belief.  
“The TARDIS can do anything. And she loves her thief.”

He dashed to the doors, a blur of brown and blue  
Once there, he skidded: Rose hoped he wouldn’t fall through.  
Rose flew to his side, anxious to see,  
And there was; St. Nick in all his glory.

Dressed in red and white, with a beard just like snow,  
A sack sat beside him - he saw them and bowed.  
“Doctor!” he called, loud, bright and cheery.  
“May I come in? I’m ever so weary.”

“Delivering through the night, I’ve been,” he said with a smile  
“I’d like to come in and sit for a while.”  
“Of course!” cried the Doctor. “Rose, make some room.”  
Santa surprised them, though, materializing in a plume.

“That’s much better,” he sighed, sinking into the jump seat.  
“Millions of deliveries are hard on the feet.”  
“Can I get you something?” Rose asked, eager to please.  
“Oh dear, no thank you. Just resting my knees.”

“How did you get here?” the Time Lord demanded.  
“There’s nowhere out there that you could have landed.”  
“Don’t you know, Doctor? Santa is magic.”  
He grinned at the Doctor. “Not to believe is utterly tragic.”

“But you are a myth. You’re not real,” the Doctor proclaimed.  
“Apparently not. He’s right here,” Rose said. “Just as he claimed.”  
“But...but...that can’t be!” the poor Doctor stuttered.  
Rose felt pity for him, his mind must be quite cluttered. 

“I’m quite real, Doctor,” St. Nicholas said.  
Winking and touching a nose that’s quite red.  
“Doctor,” Rose stopped him before he could speak.  
“It’s _Santa_. Don’t give him your usual cheek.”

Poor Doctor just stared, then shook his brown head.  
“I just can’t believe it. Guess I’ve got to!” he said.  
“Finally!” Santa exclaimed in tones of delight.  
“Can’t stay too long, gotta work through the night!”

“Just here for a rest,” he went on to say.  
“A small little break from my time in the sleigh.  
“But,” he went on, and his eyes held a spark  
“I have here a list with your names and checkmarks.”

Santa pulled out a scroll covered with names  
It unrolled and spread out, as long as the Thames  
Rose bounced up and down, the Doctor just stared  
“How in the Vortex did our names end up there?”

“it’s the nice list,” Santa said as he put on his glasses  
“The easiest way to keep track of the masses.”  
“But why am I there?” the Doctor demanded.  
“I’ve got a ...checkered past, if we’re being quite candid.”

“You’re a good man, Doctor,” Santa, he said  
“If it weren’t for you, countless people would be dead.  
One tragic decision doesn’t a bad person make.  
You’ve spent all your lives making up for the mistake.”

The Doctor just pursed his lips and did sniff  
with his hands in his pockets and his posture quite stiff.  
Rose took a step and put her hand on his arm.  
“Santa says you needn’t live under shadow.”

“C’mon, Doctor,” she said. “It’s Christmas. Be happy!”  
“Yeah, alright,” he agreed, looking much more snappy.  
“I’m on the list,” he said, his voice with a catch.  
“What about Rose? Is she on that batch?”

“Indeed she is, Doctor,” Santa readily agreed.  
“She’s quite a good girl, done lots of good deeds!”  
“So what’d you bring her?” the Doctor did ask.  
Rose smacked his arm. “I think that’s my task!”

“Ho ho ho!” Santa laughed. “They’re having a domestic!”  
The Doctor’s outraged face was nothing short of majestic.  
“Rose gets what she wanted,” the old elf declared.  
“She wished for a kiss from a bloke with good hair.”

The Doctor squawked loudly in gross indignation.  
“Well I never!” he protested, all full of vexation.  
Rose didn’t speak, she was flushing bright red  
Her face in her hands, she was hiding her head.

Santa just laughed, his loud ‘ho ho ho’  
Amused by the fact way they were beginning to glow.  
“Its time I take my leave,” he announced with good cheer.  
“Perhaps I’ll come back and rest with you next year!”

Rose recovered enough to wave a farewell  
The Doctor waved too, the TARDIS rang her bell.  
They saw St. Nick land in his sleigh filled with toys  
Ready deliver to good girls and boys

He called out to the reindeer, he knew them by name,  
The reindeer responded when they heard him exclaim.  
They flew away into the dark and the night  
Leaving a sparkling trail behind them, merry and bright.

“Well that was odd,” the Doctor remarked, bemused.  
Rose nodded beside him, embarrassed and amused.  
She turned then and looked to middle of the space  
The console glowed brightly, a gift on its base.

“Doctor!” Rose cried to catch his regard.  
“Look, Doctor, a gift! It might have a card!”  
The Doctor ran to the console so bright.  
“It’s got my name on it!” he said with delight. 

He tore the paper open and opened the box,  
Then peered in and gave another indignant squawk.  
“What is it?” Rose wondered at the Doctor’s strange mood.  
“Is it jelly? Bananas? Some kind of food?”

She stood up to peer down into the box  
Then doubled over with laughter, unable to talk.  
“It’s not funny, he said with a grumbling air.  
“It is too!” she said. “A screwdriver and pears!”

“There’s a note, too,” he said, and he reached in behind.  
Rose was still giggling, she paid him no mind.  
Until his hand went to the back of her head,  
And his lips pressed against hers, Rose thought she was dead!

But his lips slid against hers, softly but sure,  
And she slowly gave in to the Doctor’s allure.  
It went on forever, it seemed to the girl,  
She couldn’t think, her brain was a whirl.

He released her, then he put his forehead to hers,  
She took deep breaths, suddenly feeling very demure.  
“What was that for?” she whispered, afraid of the answer.  
“I wanted to,” he answered, and she wanted to dance.

“Santa told me your wish, in the note he left here.  
He said you wanted more from the alien you hold dear.”  
Rose flushed with embarrassment that her secret was out.  
“It’s true,” she admitted. “Are you going to throw me out?”

“I never could,” he told her, and his thumb traced her face.  
“I need you here, always. This ship is your place.”  
Rose laughed a little, shocked by the turn of events.  
He didn’t give her time to think before he claimed another kiss.

They broke apart quickly when they heard a loud shout.  
The Doctor grinned brightly, then ran towards the sound.  
The TARDIS doors opened and they took in the sight.  
Of Santa Claus shouting, “Happy Christmas, and good night!”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading and leaving kudos/comments on my advent stories. I appreciate you all more than I can ever tell you. 
> 
> Merry Christmas from me and mine to you and yours!


End file.
